Woodruff (Rich) is a typical farming and ranching pioneer community on Woodruff Creek, U-16 and U-39, ten miles south of Randolph. In May 1871, the area was surveyed and the first home was built by George Eastman. It was decided to name the town for Wilford Woodruff, the fourth president of the Mormon Church. President Woodruff passed through this settlement quite often while traveling north to visit his family in nearby Randolph. The Woodruff home still stands in Randolph. The first school teacher was Wesley K. Walton. There were thirty pupils enrolled.

On January 4, 1896 at 10:00 A.M., when word arrived that Utah had become a state, the town bell which hangs in the town hall, was rung for five minutes. The population was 486 in 1896. In 1996, one hundred years after statehood the population was 350. The 2000 Population was 194. Ten years later in 2010 it was 180.

Woodruff was granted petition to become incorporated December 4, 1933. Bert D. Brown was the first mayor.

G. William Wiersdorf

See: John W. Van Cott, Utah Place Names; Woodruff Plaque.